Fate
by Omnipotent One Envy
Summary: One village; One mission: to change destiny. My own work.
1. Prologue

Time goes on and collides;

Moving, just like the tide.

Frozen, as the ice melts away;

Broken, while the truth will only stay.

Confused, as the blood will fade to fate;

Fear, for the torment can not wait.

Reality, what you think is never true;

Reflection, this is what you never knew.


	2. Awakening

There once was a beautiful princess by the name of Freya. She had flowing blonde hair and soft sky eyes. Her skin was that of porcelain. Everything that she wanted she received, but still she was not happy. She was surrounded by people who loved her, but still she was lonely.

Alice didn't understand how Jenna could be more than an hour late. She knew to be there as usual. Every Wednesday, there was a friend meeting at the little cafe not too far from the school. They would usually get ice cream or other little treats. There is where they discussed buzzing gossip and rumors that they couldn't say while in the middle of school.

"I guess something must have just come up," Tori said, dismissing the dreaded thought they were both considering.

"But this isn't like her at all," Alice reassured, "Maybe we should go check on her."

"No," Tori replied, "You know how her parents are. We should just leave it alone, Alice. It's really none of our business."

"Alright," Alice said, "Let's just go home now then I guess. We've waited quite a while."

"Okay," Tori said as she stood up from the red cafe booth. "Tomorrow morning, we're asking her right away why she wasn't here." They walked on the checkered tile, making little tip taps noises like water dripping. The noise of chimes banging against the door corrupted the peace. "Let's just hope she's at school tomorrow," Tori said as she held the door open for Alice, "Try not to worry about it too much."

"Alright," Alice said, "I'll see you tomorrow at school."

Tori and Alice's houses were in the complete opposite directions. Although most girls wouldn't walk home in the dark alone, the townspeople in this village were different. All citizens were comfortable with everyone, for the population was low. Most families within Lawliette had lived there all their life, following their ancestors. They were not accustomed to normal life and were very trusting of some things that they should not have been. Lawliette was a very peaceful village. Nothing ever went wrong, and nothing ever would.

The gravel beneath her feet crunched with every step. She could hear the waves tumble over each other, each of their time to stay colliding. The sound was like a lullaby's chimes. The air was wet with salty water. The full moon reflected on the ocean's surface.

She walked past the few shops, becoming closer to her destination.

She noticed that something had seemed different that day. Everything went just as usual, but something stood out. Something special happened, but the news had not reached her yet. Thinking of this as she approached closer to her home, she realized that the house next to hers was different than usual. The eerie feel was not present, and the howling of the wind through its abandoned chimney was not accurate. Such imbalances and difference some what frightened Alice. Then, suddenly, a light on the second story turned on and quickly back off. It started flashing continuously, quitting a few seconds later. She quickly ran toward her own house, the gravel crunching even more quickly beneath her feet. She opened the door quickly, some what slamming it behind her.

"Mom," she called, taking her shoes off at the door, "I'm home!" No reply. "Mom?" She called again. She walked past the stairs and turned the corner. She saw her mother and a man sitting at the kitchen table. It was a man her mother didn't know. It was a stranger to the town. It was some one she had never seen before; some one that shouldn't be trusted so easily.

"Oh hello," he mother said, "This is Mr. Jeremy, our new next door neighbor." The man just looked down at the table, not saying a word or introducing himself. "He's been through some hard things recently, so just try to be kind to him. Apparently he may start teaching at your school soon." Alice felt very uneasy about him. Flashing lights usually meant help. Who was in his house, creating the entire racket? What was going on, and was the person in danger? She decided that if there was some one who needed help, bringing it up with him wasn't a good idea. It could endanger the person even more, and maybe even herself.

Jeremy didn't look up at any of them. His posture was of stone, and aura of depression. His face was unknown to Alice, while she wondered if he would ever say anything to him. To break the uneasiness and silence, she decided to kindly introduce herself. It would test him and possibly what kind of person he is.

"My name is Al-" a sudden acknowledgement, "-ice." Her mother seemed to not have noticed his reaction to her name. All she saw was the top of his head and broad shoulders. He was a grown man, but still young. His hair was a medium brown. Was this man really capable of anything? At first sight he seemed too conserved to commit anything horrible.

"Why did you move to this town?" Although the question may have seemed rude, Alice believed she had the right to ask such a question. Alice felt that he had intruded into her and her mother's life and house. Her mother looked up at her, making a face to show her that the question was not acceptable. Alice looked away from her, concentrating directly at the man.

"I've been wanting," he stammered, "To be a teacher." She realized by the discomfort in his voice that he had been crying. His voice was mature, but gentle and conserved.

"Why here?" She demanded.

"Alice," the man took acknowledgment again, "Don't ask such questions of our new neighbor. That's his own business." Her mother wasn't very pleased.

"Didn't he tell you about himself, Mom," she questioned, not understanding her mothers reasoning.

"I used to visit here," he said. "I've always felt compelled to this town."

"Why? There's nothing really special here. We're just a little town, and we don't have new people move here a lot." She stopped a moment, but then said, "Let me see you." Why would she believe or trust a person she had never even seen?

His movements faltered a moment, but then he slowly raised his head.


	3. Remembering

One day she confronted the court jester. "Jester, what is wrong with me? I have everything I want, but still I am not happy."

His movements were settled, slow, calm. His eyes met with Alice's swiftly. They were swollen. An emotion of anger formed on his face. His face was familiar. Maybe she saw him when she was younger, or maybe he had visited the town before. Maybe she saw him in a dream, or was her mind just playing tricks with her because of her uneasiness?

There was a knock at the door. "I'll go get that," Alice's mother said, standing up. Her mother usually didn't act like this. She would never leave Alice alone in a room with a stranger.

"What are you staring at?" He said as a child would. His hair was long, reaching his neck in the back. His bangs were overgrown, somewhat covering his eyes.

Alice peered through the window above the kitchen sink. She could see his second floor window from there. She looked back to Jeremy, who was anxiously still looking directly at her.

Her mother returned, with another man. "Ah, hello, are you Jeremy?" The man asked as Alice turned around. He was a tall, middle weight man. He was dressed in a grey uniform with a cap. He was holding a clip board with a single paper attached. Alice recognized him as the town electrician.

"Yes," he said and stood up suddenly, walking toward the man.

"I came to fix your light problem, but you weren't home. I assumed that you might be over here."

"Oh alright, sorry I wasn't there," he replied

"Oh so that old house does have some problems then," Alice's mother said. "You know, no one has lived there in years."

"It's actually in pretty good shape," Jeremy said, "but that light on the top floor keeps flickering on and off every now and then." He hesitated a moment, but then asked, "Would you like to come over and see the house? I've heard around town that it's kind of a mystery to everyone. It's truly a beautiful house, though."

"Oh, really? Alice and I could go see it?" She asked.

"It's still dusty and a mess," he confessed, "but yes, if you would like. There is some furniture from who ever lived there last. I'm not sure that I'll be keeping everything, so if you see something you like, then I'll probably give it up."

"Oh, that'd be so nice," Alice's mother said. "Do you live with anyone though? Would we be intruding?"

"No, I live alone," he replied. "And I already have been in your house."

"Alright, let's go then," she said. The three of them started walking toward the door.

"Come along, Alice," her mother said.

Alice had no say in the conversation. Her emotions were somewhat calmed by the knowledge of what really happened with the light. She had always been curious of the house, too. She was happy that he had invited her mother and her over. It was only proper anyway, since he had already intruded into their own house. She wouldn't let her guard down though, not even once.

Maybe he really was just a new friendly neighbor, Alice thought to herself as she walked behind everyone else. Everyone slipped on their shoes and her mother opened the door. The crunching of the gravel beneath everyone's feet sounded like only one person, running.

Walking up to the door of the strange house was exciting. She wondered what her friends would think about what had all happened that night. Jeremy took the key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. The door had a terrible squeak to it, a result of horribly rusted bolts and nails. "Yeah, I'm gonna get that fixed." He confessed, adding a little chuckle. He flipped a light switch, and the house lit up. Everyone stepped inside as Alice carefully closed the door behind her. There was white cloth consumed by dust over numerous large figures. The air was musty and congested. An untrusting wooden staircase was to the right. There were numerous rooms with just more and more covered furniture that was left behind. "I haven't pulled the cloth off of anything yet because it will just billow up more dust," Jeremy said. "I'll be having some one come and clean the house well tomorrow for a quite large amount of money."

The electrician started taking it step by step up the stairs, and everyone followed. The stairs had a terribly squeak, just as the door had. They turned to the right when reaching the top of the stairs. Upstairs there was nothing of much interest. It looked just like the rest of the house.

"So it's this one?" The electrician asked, pointing to a single light bulb high on the ceiling.

"Yep," Jeremy said. "I've changed the light bulb numerous times, so it must be something with the wiring."

"Alright," the electrician said as he spotted the light switch. He flipped it on, then off. It worked perfectly fine. She started flashing it on and off. "Seems fine now," he replied, "But I'll still take a look at it. Let me go get my ladder and such from my van," he said as he started heading back down the stairs.

"Do you two want to come down to the kitchen while we wait?" Jeremy suggested.

"Well it's getting late," Alice's mother said, sounding disappointed of the house. "Maybe we should be getting back home soon. Alice has school tomorrow."

"Alright," Jeremy replied. "Thank you for your hospitality, ma'm," he said kindly.

"We'll see you tomorrow, alright?" She asked.

"Alright, see you tomorrow," he replied.

Alice's mother had seemed completely fascinated with Jeremy and his house, but now she wanted to get home. Maybe it was just her disappointment of the house, but Alice considered that it was more than that.

Alice looked up at Jeremy just as she walked away. He mouthed words to her.

Alice followed her mother down the stairs and out of the house. Alice slightly stepped on something, and bent down to see what it was. She picked it up quickly, though her mother didn't notice. It was small and covered in dust. They passed the electrician with his ladder on the way out. "It's getting late," Alice's mother repeated, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright, ma'm," he replied.

"Alice," her mother said in a scolding tone as they walked back to their own house. "How could you be so rude to our new neighbor?"

"What are you talking about?" She questioned. Although she knew she was rude, her mother should have known that he was in return. "You never let a stranger enter our house, and you even left me alone with him when you went to answer the door."

"Don't you ever try to correct my actions," she said.

She couldn't believe what was up with her mom. She was so afraid of Jeremy. She didn't understand her mother's actions and words.

She quickly ran toward her own house, leaving her mother behind her. The gravel crunched rapidly beneath her feet as she looked up to see the light in the second story flashing again. She opened the door quickly, somewhat slamming it behind her.


End file.
